Spring clip type handle for gas cylinder



April 6, 1965 o. F. SHORT SPRING CLIP TYPE HANDLE FOR GAS CYLINDER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1962 Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Inventor Duane E Short April 1965 D- F. SHORT 3,177,025

SPRING CLIP TYPE HANDLE FOR GAS CYLINDER Filed Dec. 20, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 4 Fig. 5

Inven for Duane E Short United States Patent 3,177,025 SPRING CLIP TYPEHANDLE FOR GAS CYLINDER Duane F. Short, 10113 Dellridge Lane, Dellwood,M0. Filed Dec. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 246,048 1 Claim. (Cl. 294-33) Thisinvention relates to a handling implement for gas cylinders, or tanks,and more specifically to a handle with spring clips which is easilyattachable to, and detachable from, a refill type of gas cylinder of thekind used for a blow torch. The cylinder, when combined with the torch,is useful in applying solder to a joint, but like any other tool it hasa multiple of uses. Gas cylinders of the type referred to contain acharge of fuel under high pressure which, when exhausted, can bereplaced by another cylinder. When replacement is necessary, the torchand its connecting fittings are removed from the exhausted tank andscrewed onto the connection of a charged one. In most instances, thetank, or cylinder, is held in one hand to direct the flame from thetorch onto the work. The other hand of the user is usually occupied byother tasks. Because of the size of the cylinder, it fills the wholehand. Usually not even one finger of that hand is readily available toaid the other hand in its tasks without risk of dropping the cylinder.Accidents of this kind should be avoided because of the explosive natureof the charge stored in the tank at high pressure. It is also possiblethat the application of the torch requires movement of the tank into andout of a confined space barely adequate to pass the tank let alone thefingers of the hand holding the tank. To maintain a secure hold on thetank under these conditions is awkward and requires both hands formanipulating the tank leaving neither hand free to perform the job.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide aconveniently sized handle which is equipped with spring clips to bereadily attached to, or detached from, a gas cylinder.

It is another object of this invention to provide a handle whichsecurely attaches to a gas cylinder for a torch and which frictionallyengages the cylinder in such a way that the cylinder may be turnedaround in the handle at any time so as to direct the torch at the properangle to the work.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a handle whichcan be used as a convenient hanger for suspending the tank when not inuse.

Gas cylinders, or tanks, for the purposes described are usually roundmetal cylinders in the neighborhood of 2 or 3 inches in diameter andabout inches long. A tubular neck protrudes from one end of thecylinder. Threads on the end of this neck provide for connection to thefittings of the burner and these threads terminate on the neck at acylindrical collar on the neck spaced from the top of the cylinder.

According to this invention, the handle is a metal tubular member,preferably an aluminum tube. Opposite ends of the tube carry springclips formed of loops of springy wire extending laterally from thehandle in the same direction and in approximately parallelrelationsln'p. One or" the loops is an open ended spring loop withspaced curved legs adapted to be forced apart to receive and grip thecylinder. The other loop is closed and has approximately parallel legportions adjacent the handle spaced apart to just pass over the neck andcollar. The loop has a constricted portion adjacent its closed end intowhich the neck can be forced by springing the leg portions apart. Withinthe constricted portion of this loop, the legs have offsets engagingunder the collar of the neck to force the closed end of the loop againstthe top of the tank.

3,l??,@25 Patented Apr. 6, 1%55 Other objects and advantages of thisinvention will appear from the following detailed description which isin such clear, concise and exact terms as will enable any person skilledin the art to make and use the same when taken with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a handle constructed inaccordance with this invention applied to a gas cylinder;

FIG. 2 is a similar view illustrating the manner of applying the handleto the gas cylinder;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the upper end of handle only, illustratingthe form of the spring loop;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the upper end of the handleillustrating the spring loop in further detail;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the top part of the handle only,looking in the direction of the cylinder and having parts broken away toillustrate the manner of attachment between the handle and the upperloop;

FIG. 6 is a top plan View illustrating the construction of the lowerspring loop before attachment to the handle; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view looking in the direction of the cylinderand having parts broken away to illustrate the manner of connectionbetween the handle and the lower spring loop.

The gas tank 1, shown in FIG. 1, is a refillable type containing a gasfuel under high pressure. This type of tank has a cylinder-like bodyclosed at its lower end 2 and provided with an outlet at its upper end3. At tached to the upper end 3 is a tubular neck 4 threaded at 5, andprovided with a collar 6 at which the threads 5 terminate. These threadsare provided for the attachment to a burner and its fittings. The burnercontemplated in this case is one in the form of a blow torch. Thecylinder 1 is a refillable cylinder in the sense that after the fuel hasbeen consumed by the burner, the fittings are removed and placed upon afreshly charged cylinder. Consequently, any handling implement attachedto the cylinder 1 must be one which also can be detached from a cylinderwhich has become exhausted and reattached to a freshly charged cylinder.

The handling implement, here contemplated, is composed of several parts.As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is a handle part It) which ispreferably formed of aluminum tubing of suitable size. The aluminum tube10 is flattened from opposite sides at its upper end to form a pair ofspaced sockets 11 and 12. At its lower end, the handle ill is alsoflattened to form a pair of spaced sockets 14 and T15. Sockets l4 and 15in turn receive the spaced apart legs 17 and 18 of a spring clip part20, shown more in detail in FIG. 6. The parallel leg portions 17 and i8merge into curved leg portions 21 and 22, respectively, which are infacing relation and extend laterally from the handle part 10 to receiveand grip the tank 1. The manner in which the leg portions 17 and 18 areanchored in the handle it) is shown in PEG. 7. Leg portions 17 and 18are joined by loop portion 25 and, as can be seen in FIG. 7, loopportion 25 is anchored in the handle 10 by being angularly deformed withrespect to the leg portions 17 and 18 so that the loop portion 25 lieswithin the handle part it} at an angle to the sockets l4 and 15 in theflattened portion of the handle 10.

Sockets 11 and 12 receive the spaced legs of a second spring clip part26. Socket 11 receives one leg 28 and socket 12 receives the other leg29 of the spring clip 26. As shown in FIG. 5, the legs 28 and 29 areangularly deformed at 30 and 31, respectively, so as to be firmlyanchored within the upper flattened end of the handle part 1i Referringspecifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, the parallel leg portions 2% and 2? arespaced apart far enough to pass over the collar 6 of the tank 1. Theends thereof are joined by the loop 31 having the constricted portionformed by inwardly directedbends, such as 32 in leg 28 and 33 in leg 23.These bends confine the neck portion 4, shown in phantom lines, withinthe loop 31; Legs 23 and 29 also have offset portions 34 and 35, bettershown in FIG. 4. These olfset portions wedgingly engage beneath thecollar 6 to hold the portions of the loop 31 including the inward bends32 and 33 against the top 3 of tank 1.

FIG. 2 illustrates best how the handle is applied to the tank 1. Springclip 26 is placed in the position shown in FIG. 2 with the legs 28 and29 straddling the neck 4. While in this position, spring clip 20 isforced onto the cylinder-like body of the tank 1 so that it securelygrips the bottom of the tank. While the tank 1 is held stationary,handle 10 is then manipulated to force the neck 4through, or past, therestriction at 32 and 33 in the legs 28 and 29 so that the neck portion4 is held firmly between the legs in the loop 31. Offsets 34A and 35 atthis point will be wedged beneath the collar 4 holding the loop 31against the end 3 of the tank 1. This operation secures the handle tothe tank but, since the tank is only clamped by the spring clips, it canbe turned with respect to the handle so as to bodily aim the blow torchat the most convenient angle with respect to the handle for theparticular application.

Changes in and modifications of the construction described may be madewithout departing from the spirit ofmy invention or sacrificing itsadvantages.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

A handle for a gastank of the kind having a cylinderlike body closedatone end and provided with an outlet at its opposite end including atubular neck protruding axially from the outlet end of saidcylinder-like body,'

a threaded end on said neck to provide'for connection to a gas burnerand terminating at an annular collar on the neck spaced from the top endof the cylinder-like body,

7 said handle having a means for ready attachment to, and

(2) a first spring clip part forrned by an open loop of; springywirehaving spaced legs individually held at one end, one of said legs ineach of said first pair of sockets and extending into said handle part,and anchored in said sockets by-an angular deformation of said socketsand the portion of said legs in said sockets with respect to said handlepart and the portion of said legs in said handle part, said spring clippart having facing curved leg portions extending laterally of saidhandle part to grip opposite sides of said cylinder-like tank body, and

(3) a second spring clip' part formed by a loop of springy wire havingspaced legs with substantially parallel portions individually held atone end, one of said legs of said second clip part in each of saidsecond pair of sockets in said handle part and extending into saidhandle part, and anchored in said sockets by angular deformation of theportion of said legs extending into said handle part with respect to theportion of said legs in said pair of sockets, said loop having aconstricted portion at its closed end to said handle part to be forcedonto said body by move-.

rnent of said handle part in a direction away from said body tointerconnect said handle part with said body and frictionally resistrotation between handlepart and said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,179,856 4/16McLeod 220-94 1,430,525 9/22 Webber 24s 311 1,723,588 8/29 True 24 247FOREIGN PATENTS 221,276 4/10 Germany.

ROBERTB. REEVES, Acting Primary Eraminer.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, SAMUEL F. COLEMAN,

' p Examiners.

1. HANDLE FOR A GAS TANK OF THE KIND HAVING AN CYLINDERLIKE BODY CLOSEDAT ONE END AND PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET AT ITS OPPOSITE END INCLUDING ATUBULAR NECK PROTRUDING AXIALLY FROM THE AXIALLY END OF SAIDCYLINDER-LIKE BODY. A THREADED END ON SAID NECK TO PROVIDE FORCONNECTION TO A GAS BURNER AND TERMINATING AT AN ANNULAR COLLAR ON THENECK SPACED FROM THE TOP END OF THE CYLINDER-LIKE BODY, SAID HANDLEHAVING A MEANS FOR READY ATTACHMENT TO, AND DETACHMENT FROM SAIDCYLINDER-LIKE BODY AND FOR MOUNTING SAID HANDLE IN SPACED RELATION TOSAID CYLINDER-LIKE BODY WHEN ATTACHED THERETO, SAID MEANS COMPRISING,(1) A TUBULAR METAL HANDLE PART FLATTENED AT OPPOSITE ENDS TO FORM APAIR OF SPACED SOCKETS AT EACH OF SAID ENDS, (2) A FIRST SPRING CLIPPART FORMED BY AN OPEN LOOP OF SPRINGY WIRE HAVING SPACED LEGSINDIVIDUALLY HELD AT ONE END, ONE OF SAID LEGS IN EACH OF SAID FIRSTPAIR OF SOCKETS AND EXTENDING INTO SAID HANDLE PART, AND ANCHORED INSAID SOCKETS BY AN ANGULAR DEFORMATION OF SAID SOCKETS AND THE PORTIONOF SAID LEGS IN SAID SOCKETS WITH RESPECT TO SAID HANDLE PART AND THEPORTION OF SAID LEGS IN SAID HANDLE PART, SAID SPRING CLIP PART HAVINGFACING CURVED LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING LATERALLY OF SAID HANDLE PART TOGRIP OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CYLINDER-LIKE TANK TODAY, AND (3) A SECONDSPRING CLIP PART FORMED BY A LOOP OF SPRINGY WIRE HAVING SPACED LEGSWITH SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL PORTIONS INDIVIDUALLY HELD AT ONE END, ONEOF SAID LEGS OF SAID SECOND CLIP PART IN EACH OF SAID SECOND PAIR OFSOCKETS IN SAID HANDLE PART AND EXTENDING INTO SAID HANDLE PART, ANDANCHORED IN SAID SOCKETS BY ANGULAR DEFORMATION OF THE PORTION OF SAIDLEGS EXTENDING INTO SAID HANDLE PART WITH RESPECT TO THE PORTION OF SAIDLEGS IN SAID PAIR OF SOCKETS, SAID LOOP HAVING A CONSTRICTED PORTION ATITS CLOSED END INTO WHICH SAID NECK CAN BE FORCED BY SPRINGING SAID LEGSOF SAID SECOND CLIP PART APART AND SAID LOOP HAVING OFFSETS WITHIN SAIDCONSTRICTED PORTION ENGAGING UNDER SAID COLLAR ON SAID NECK TO FORCE THECLOSED END OF SAID LOOP AGAINST THE TOP OF SAID TANK, SAID FIRST SPRINGCLIP PART BEING ARRANGED WITH RESPECT TO SAID HANDLE PART TO BE FORCEDONTO SAID BODY BY MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE PART IN A DIRECTION TOWARDSAID BODY AND SAID SECOND SPRING CLIP PART BEING ARRANGED WITH RESPECTTO SAID HANDLE PART TO BE FORCED ONTO SAID BODY BY MOVEMENT OF SAIDHANDLE PART IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID BODY TO INTERCONNECTED SAIDHANDLE PART WITH SAID BODY AND FRICTIONALLY RESIST ROTATION BETWEENHANDLE PART AND SAID BODY.